Hello all - I am getting checked out by my OB/GYN doctor, but am asking this question because he brought it up. Is it possible that being on low dose Eliquis (2.5 mg/BID) could contribute to menstrual like bleeding? I do have a fibroid and there is another issue that needs to be looked at, but he wasn't sure if Eliquis might be a contributor to the problem. I've never heard this mentioned on here, so thought I would see if anyone knows.

He also commented about how dangerous he felt it was to be on a blood thinner if you have a fall, etc. I commented that I was only on the lowest dose, but he wasn't convinced that it mattered.

Barb

Anticoagulants do not cause bleeding. Something else has to cause the bleeding to begin, and then an anticoagulant can prolong the bleeding, but it's not the cause. Could the Eliquis be contributing to the bleeding? Yes, it's possible, but something else is causing it so finding out what that something is would be a more productive thing to do than just stopping the Eliquis.

I would not take advice on anticoagulants from an Ob/Gyn. He displayed how little he knows with that comment about how dangerous it is, particularly since you're only on a half dose. The data don't support his concerns. I don't recall your details but does your EP think you need to be on the Eliquis? If so, I would listen to them because anticoagulants are things EPs deal with day in and day out, and they understand your risk factors. I seriously doubt if an Ob/Gyn is familiar at all with the stroke risks associated with afib. And, frankly, it takes a hell of a serious bleeding problem to outweigh the gravity of a stroke.

Wow. I agree with Carey. The OB/GYN seems to have dismissed, or at the least diminished, the risks you apparently have of a stroke assessed by an expert in that field.

Yes, everyone on 'blood thinners' incurs a risk of heavier bleeding if they nip their finger slicing carrots, but even those who are not on thinners and who have a traumatic accident have that risk...WITHOUT anticoagulants in them. Yes, there is a severe risk if one breaks one's femur during a fall and the jagged tip punctures an artery. Won't save those who aren't on anticoagulants a whole lot more if that happens. Meanwhile, you fall, come out okay, go into paroxysmal AF, and six hours later you're in the stroke clinic because you were more worried about the fall.

I recently was switched from 5 mg do Eliquis to 2.5 after getting a Watchman and I’ve really noticed a difference. On 5 mg I was prone to get a bruise on the back of my hand if I accidentally hit it on something like the corner of a counter—not so with 2.5 mg. I have not noticed any extended bleeding g either.

Yes, i agree with all you are saying. I had my 2 ablations with Dr Natale (the second was for Flutter), and then had a Watchman put in about 1 1/2 years ago, also by Dr,. Natale when he was up here in New York. Haven't had Afib for over 9 years since the second ablation with Dr Natale. He encouraged me to stay on a low dose of Eliquis as I had a LAA ablation, I'm now 70 years old, and as we all know, stroke risk increases with age. He didn't say I must be on it, but he strongly encouraged it...and so while I initially recoiled at that (as that one of the main reasons I had the Watchman put in - to get off of Eliquis and not have to worry about possible blood clots), I decided it wasn't bothering me at all, so better safe than sorry. You also really encouraged me on this, Carey, with your stories of seeing too many people's lives ruined by strokes.

I really like my OB/GYN, but I guess I have to realize that while he's great at what he is trained to do and know, Afib related things just aren't his strong suit.

The only problem I noticed on Eliquis was when I took a strong anti-inflammatory (cause I also have arthritis...argh) and I got what looked like a blood clot on the outside of my eyelid. I stopped it immediately.